Uncategorized
- Chemistry
New data on synthetic element trigger rethink of periodic table
New data on lawrencium, element 103, trigger rethink of periodic table.
By Beth Mole - Animals
Gazing deeply into your dog’s eyes unleashes chemical attraction
Dogs and people gazing into each other’s eyes give each other a bond-strengthening rush of oxytocin.
By Susan Milius - Life
Octopuses move with uncoordinated arms
An octopus crawls unlike any other animal. Mimicking the cephalopod’s control over its movements may lead to more agile robots.
- Neuroscience
When brain’s GPS goes awry, barriers can reboot it
Brain’s internal map self-corrects when it hits a (literal) wall.
- Life
‘Geographic tongue’ creates unique topography
A condition called ‘geographic tongue’ makes mouth organ appear maplike.
- Health & Medicine
Same mutations can show up in tumors, healthy tissues
Analyzing samples of healthy and tumor tissues could pinpoint which mutations are driving cancer and help develop better-targeted treatments.
By Nathan Seppa - Life
Researchers pull fingers to solve why knuckles crack
Knuckle cracking is the sound of a bubble forming in a joint, MRI images reveal.
- Health & Medicine
Why cancer patients waste away
A tumor-produced protein that interferes with insulin causes wasting in fruit flies with cancer.
- Animals
Shimmer and shine may help prey sabotage predators’ aim
Iridescent prey was more difficult to strike in a video game for birds.
By Susan Milius - Astronomy
Galactic split provides clue to dark matter mystery
An oddly divided galaxy may provide the first evidence that dark matter particles interact through a force other than gravity.
By Andrew Grant - Neuroscience
Nicotine exposure escalates rats’ desire for alcohol
Rats drink more alcohol after they’ve been hooked on nicotine.
- Plants
From lemons to kumquats, roots of citrus variety dug up
Citrus fruits’ lineage is traced through chloroplast DNA, revealing both maternal and paternal heritage.